Parents Ask District To Negotiate Wage Freeze

Hauppauge parents and students asked the Board of Education to consider negotiating a wage freeze, where a proposed budget calls for raises to teachers who survive layoffs.

District residents asked Hauppauge Public School officials Tuesday night to consider negotiating for a 0 percent raise in efforts to prevent 23 teaching positions from being eliminated in the 2011-2012 school year.

Thecalls for 23 teachers and five teaching assistant positions to be eliminated, which may result in 17-18 teachers being laid off after retirements are accounted for, according to Superintendent Patricia Sullivan-Kriss. 

Resident John Carbone Sr. asked if the district had considered negotiating a raise freeze, and his sentiments were echoed by many of the nearly 40 attendees. 

James Stucchio, assistant superintendent for business and operations, said the district is in open negotiations with four of its five bargaining units –  including teachers - whose contracts expire on June 30.

The proposed budget as it stands provides funding for all district employees under these contracts to receive raises in the 2011-2012 school year.

“When we plan our budget, we have something in there for all personnel in the district. We don’t know what negotiations will yield,” Sullivan-Kriss said.

The superintendent admitted that “ I have a contract that has a raise there for me,”

During the evening’s budget presentation covering the categories of instruction, general support and transportation. Stucchio said code 1240 - Chief school administrator that covers the superintendent’s salary, clerical salary, conference/travel, and supplies, has a 2.32 percent increase for next year.

“If we are paying more and more, while cutting the bottom with teachers, are we getting reckless by spending more at top. It’s not where the teachers are, “ said resident Rob Scarito.

Other Long Island school districts have implemented wage freezes as a cost saving measure last year, including Half Hollow Hills and Brentwood, where Board President Ann Macaluso teaches. 

Residents walked away without any solid guarantee a wage freeze would be considered in Hauppauge.

“We are in the process of open negotiations with our unions, we cannot comment on that,” Macaluso said. 

Hauppauge school officials did not return Patch's request for further comment.